Making Me Love You
by kci47
Summary: Lily and Severus' friendship may be over, but that doesn't mean they're done with each other. Warnings: Cursing, some light smut, and eventual adultery.
1. Chapter 1

**This was inspired by the Maroon 5 competition on HPFC. I actually pulled a different song and I'm using a different pairing for my actual competition piece, but then this story got stuck in my head and I had to write it. I've been looking for an excuse to do a Lily/Severus for ages now, and after listening to this song on repeat I don't think I'll ever be able to associate it with any other couple!**

**This fic inspired by Maroon 5's One More Night, which I encourage you to look up the lyrics for-Lily/Sev really fit it so, so well! **

**Some notes: It's unclear what year it was when Sirius tricked Severus into following Remus, but the boys hadn't perfected their animagi forms until 5th year, so that scene is set during their 6th year. Also, I think Severus joined the DEs after school, but I shifted it back to 7th year for my own purposes.**

* * *

"I _said _I'm sorry!" The boy sprinted after the girl as she exited the castle and stalked towards the lake.

"You also _said _I was a Mudblood, Severus, so you'll understand if I don't particularly care what you have to say anymore." Lily angrily flipped her hair behind her shoulder and kept marching away from the lanky boy attempting to keep up with her.

"It's not—I didn't mean to call you that, Lily. You know I would never—"

Lily spun to face her childhood friend and, until recently, her closest confidante. "Well, you _did_ call me that, _and _you believe it. I know you do. I've listened to you talking to your buddies—you're all convinced that next to you and your precious blood purity, I'm nothing." She paused to take a breath before continuing, "And you know what? That's fine, Severus. You just—go ahead and think that. _I _know better, and I have friends that know better, too. It's just too bad that you can't include yourself in that list of friends."

Severus opened and closed his mouth several times, clearly trying to decide what to say to soothe her. But no amount of apologizing could take back the things he'd said to her in anger, and they both knew it. Because she was right—he _did _believe it. Or, he had, until he'd met her.

Full of sadness, the green eyes met the black, and most of the fight drained out of Lily. "When we were ten," she said softly, "you promised me it didn't matter."

"But I—"

Lily held up a hand, interrupting whatever Severus had been about to say. "My point, Severus, is that either you were lying to me then—or you're lying to yourself now. Either way, you're still a liar."

Tears welled in Severus' eyes, and he angrily ground a knuckle into his socket to stop the embarrassing display of emotion. "Lily, _please_. I just want to be your—your _friend _again. Like before."

"Nothing's like before, Sev, don't you realize?" Lily took a step forward, her hand raised as though to brush his hair back from his face like she always did, but she stopped mid-stride and the hand fell to her side. She started to speak but thought better of it, instead giving Severus a small, sad smile before turning and walking away.

Severus crumpled to the ground, his head cradled in his hands, before springing up and firing hex after angry hex into the nearest tree.

* * *

"Here's the powdered root of asphodel."  
"I put your chopped spleen on your cutting board."  
"Watch the cauldrons for five minutes while I get the wormwood infusion."  
"This one's just bubbling, I'll add the ground belladonna once it comes to a rolling boil."

To a stranger, the polite conversation across a laboratory table may not have seemed at all odd. To anyone who actually knew Lily and Severus, however, the clipped tones revealed a wealth of emotions. Trust, betrayal, dislike, longing, friendship, distance—it was all there, layered as finely as a complex multi-step potion.

Both had been too proud to request a new partner in Potions class, so they continued on as civilly as possible. If one occasionally had an opportunity to "forget" to check the other one's cauldron while they were busy slicing and dicing, well, who could really blame them? Each gave as good as they got, and no one else dared interfere. Only a few months after the scene at the lake, their feud had gained legendary proportions; and most of their classmates were far more wary of an explosion between the two top students than they were of an actual potions explosion.

One Friday evening found them left behind in the dungeon classroom after just such an explosion. Professor Slughorn hadn't been able to decipher who had been at fault—both parties claimed innocence and Horace hadn't wanted to choose sides. (Outwardly, anyway.) Now, long after the final class period, Lily and Severus were alone and attempting to re-brew the potion from class that day. It was fairly safe to say that both were tired, agitated, and thoroughly convinced of the other's wrongdoing.

"Stop! Don't add the acromantula hairs _now_, you'll ruin it."  
"It's a bit late to ruin anything if you've been using that sterling silver stirring rod this whole time!"

Harrumphing, Lily stormed off to the supply cabinet. Severus sulkily turned up the flame under the cauldron and double-checked the next few steps of the procedure, making notes in the edges of his book.

"Inventing evil curses again? Maybe if you paid more attention to what you're _supposed _to be doing, we wouldn't be stuck here on a Friday night!" Lily tossed the Sopophorous beans onto the lab table and glared at Severus' book before beginning to chop the slippery things.

"If _I_—" Indignant, spluttering, Severus drew himself up to his full height. "_You _are the one who refused to add one clockwise stir after every seven counter-clockwise. We would still be brewing the original potion now if we were to continue at your pace!"

Lily made a face at the Sopophorous beans. "That's because the _book _doesn't say to add a clockwise stir! Honestly, are you so certain that you're smarter than—" she flipped her book to the front cover, "—Libatius Borage? I didn't realize my Potions partner was actually a world-renowned _Potions master!_ Here, will you autograph my book? I can't wait to tell all my friends that I met a celebrity!"

"Oh, very amusing. But if you want me to sign your book, of course I will oblige, _my lady_." Severus leaned forward with his quill but Lily batted his hand away. "You know, you'd release the juice of those beans better if you simply crushed—"

"Enough, Severus! I don't want to be the test niffler for all your little potions experiments. I just want to brew this draught, bottle it, and get the bloody hell out of here for the night. Please, let's just finish this."

Lily returned her attention to the Sopophorous beans in front of her. Severus remained still, watching her furiously and fruitlessly try to slice the ingredient. He was about to offer to juice the beans himself when he heard a distinct sniffle.

"Oh, hell, Lil, please don't cry. Here, let me do the beans." He moved closer, but Lily elbowed him in the stomach as he approached.

"Just leave me alone!"

"I don't wish to fight with you," he admitted softly.

This was apparently the wrong thing to say, for Lily slammed her knife onto the cutting board and turned to face him, wiping a stray tear off her cheek as she did so. "Oh, really, Severus? What _do _you want, then? I'm all ears!" Rolling her eyes, she was about to turn back to their work surface when Severus curled one hand around her upper arm.

"I want—I—" The words wouldn't come, so he did the only thing he could think of, and he kissed her. Severus attempted to show Lily everything he wanted as he wrapped his arms around her slender form and angled his head. For a moment it seemed to have worked, for Lily's arms slid up his chest and she kissed him back for a fraction of a heartbeat.

But then she pushed him away, the tears falling more freely now. "Damn you, Severus Snape!" she hissed before grabbing her bag and racing from the room. He watched her go dejectedly, and he rather thought that _this_, not their previous fight, truly marked the end of their friendship.

* * *

"I owe you an apology."

The soft whisper drifted on the dusty air in the library, whirling around and finally settling near Severus' ears. He did not budge, however, but continued to scribble notes on his parchment. Perhaps if he ignored the whisper, it would go away.

"Severus. I know you can hear me."

He hunched his shoulders further, grateful for the curtain of hair blocking the view of his face from the world. He heard an exasperated sigh but still he kept his gaze riveted to his homework.

"Fine, if that's how you want to act... You don't have to say anything, just listen. I'm sorry, alright? James told me what Sirius did to you, and I—"

"It's James now, is it? Whatever happened to 'Potter, the arrogant toerag'?" In his anger, he made the mistake of looking up at his former best friend just in time to see the small smile grace her features.

"We've...become friends, I guess," Lily mused, the stupid smile still lingering on her lips. "But that's not what I came to say. I—"

"Bloody wonderful. Yet another sycophantic follower for precious Potter. Just what he needs. Tell me, does he let you lick his boots, or do you have to earn that privilege?" He surged out of his chair and began to haphazardly scoop his books and parchments up.

"That's not fair, Severus!" Lily tried to grasp his arm, but he shook her off. "They're not that bad, honestly, and you have no right—"

"_Not that bad_?" Severus growled, slamming his books back onto the library table. "What exactly did you come here to apologize for, then, if you consider that group of puffed-up pixies to be _not that bad_?"

Lily opened her mouth to answer, but Severus shook his head once and bent to retrieve his books again, his movement jerky. "Nevermind, Evans," he snarled, purposefully using her last name. "We are no longer friends, remember? An apology is therefore unnecessary."

He was three steps past her on his way to the door when he heard her speak again.

"Sev, I..." She cleared her throat before continuing, her voice stronger this time. "I _am _sorry. What they did—it's horrible, and you didn't deserve it. No one deserves it."

Squeezing his eyes shut momentarily, Severus fought the urge to turn back and accept her apology. But he firmed his resolve and continued out the door without a backwards glance.

Why should he accept her apology when she had refused to accept his?

* * *

"Lily? Wake up."

"Sev? What are you doing?"

The sleep-roughened voice tugged on his heart, but Severus squashed his protective instincts and continued to hover outside the window of the seventh-year girls' dormitory.

"Can you meet me outside?"

"What—"

"Just toss a robe on and go, Lily," he bit out, uncertain how much longer he could maintain his position in the air given the amount of pain he was in. "I'll meet you near the greenhouses in fifteen minutes."

He didn't wait to listen to her grumbling. Turning his broom, he flew as fast as he dared, trying to avoid any large dips or spins. Dropping gratefully to the ground at the greenhouses, he stared blankly at his left arm. Judging by the bright color of the bandage, his newly acquired tattoo was still bleeding.

He wasn't quite sure just how long he'd been there when Lily finally arrived, but he registered that she had indeed just thrown a robe on and—he was most grateful for this—she had come alone.

That was something, he supposed.

"What are we doing out here, Severus? You know I shouldn't be out of the castle after hours."

"You're Head Girl. Dumbledore won't punish you." Even to his own ears, his voice sounded odd. Higher pitched, certainly, and lifeless, somehow.

"You're acting peculiar. If you don't have anything of importance to say to me, I'm going back inside." Despite her words, Lily stepped closer and peered down at him. Severus could not muster the energy to sit up, but remained slumped against the wall of greenhouse five.

A year ago, he would have rejoiced at the opportunity to have Lily all to himself for a moment. Now, however, all he could feel was an odd sense of betrayal mixed with vengeful satisfaction. And pain. There was a great deal of pain.

The physical pain was nothing _really_, he supposed. He'd suffered worse injuries playing Quidditch. But the psychological pain—he'd wanted nothing more or less to be comforted just now, and his thoughts had immediately gone to Lily Evans, for better or worse.

Now that she was standing in front of him demanding explanations, though, he began to think it was more on the "or worse" side of things. Attempting to sit up, he winced as he placed weight on his left arm.

"Severus, are you injured?" Lily immediately sank to her knees next to him, her concern instantly overriding any animosity she held towards him. She reached for his hand, but he leaned out of reach.

"It's nothing. I shouldn't have woken you." He made to stand, dragging himself slowly but surely upwards with the support of the greenhouse wall. He nearly fainted once he was fully upright, however, and Lily jumped up to catch him with an arm around his waist.

"Sev! What's going on? What's wrong?"

Looking down into her earnest gaze, Severus fought the pull of sharing his burden with someone who knew him. Understood him. Liked him—or _had_ like him, at one point in time anyway.

In the end, the green eyes proved irresistible. "You're embracing a newly minted Death Eater," he said, aiming for a tone as arrogantly pleased with himself as he could muster. He feared it came out rather more frightened, however.

"_What?!_" Lily gasped and jerked her steadying arm away. Severus only just caught himself by thrusting his left arm out to brace against the greenhouse. Lily eyed the blood-soaked bandage now visible in the moonlight and pressed two shaking hands over her mouth.

"I shouldn't have said anything. Go back to bed, Evans," he sighed, resting his head against the cool glass wall. "This doesn't concern you."

For a long time there was only silence, and Severus thought Lily must have taken his advice and returned to the safety of the castle. Finally, however, he felt cool water on his arm, and then he heard Lily whispering a number of healing spells as she unraveled his makeshift bandage.

She gasped again when she revealed the roiling black tattoo, the surrounding skin still an angry red. Severus couldn't bring himself to look at her—he couldn't bear to see the condemnation in her eyes. What had he been thinking, bringing her out here like this?

Suddenly, his mind froze as he found himself wrapped in her embrace. He could feel her crying against his chest, but she made no sound. Uncertain how to respond, Severus slowly lowered his head to her shoulder and draped his right arm around her slender waist. They remained that way long into the night, neither one willing to break the fragile and temporary reprieve from their hostility.

* * *

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be celebrating with the Gryffindor golden boys?" Severus glanced up as Lily entered the library but quickly returned his attention to the heavy tome open in front of him.

"I could ask you the same question." She sauntered over and leaned one hip against the table next to his book.

"I hardly think Potter and his pals would welcome my company." Severus allowed his sneer free reign as he uttered the word _Potter_.

"You know what I meant. Why aren't you partying with the Slytherins? I'm sure they're up to something in that common room of yours. Everyone's celebrating graduation tomorrow."

"Except, it would seem, you and I." Meticulously marking his place and closing his book, Severus turned his eyes up to Lily's face. "Again, Evans, why are you here?"

Lily frowned at him and began tapping one finger agitatedly against her thigh. "I suppose I didn't much feel like smuggled Firewhisky and silly chatter," she bit out. "What's your excuse?"

One corner of Severus' mouth tipped upwards, but his expression was mocking. "The same," he drawled.

"Oh, come off it." Lily shoved one of his shoulders roughly. "We're going to be gone from here for good tomorrow, you know. Can't we just—can we just get along, tonight? Please?"

He would have refused her request—in fact, he wanted to—but her eyes had entranced him long before he'd even met her, and they were now gazing at him with such a pathetic plea that he was helpless to refuse. "Very well. What do you wish to discuss? Shall we prattle on about the weather, or perhaps frivolously describe our plans for life after school?"

Lily's tongue crept out to wet her lips nervously, and Severus fought the sudden stab of longing her actions evoked in his gut. Was it just him, or was she inching closer to him on the desk?

"I don't wish to discuss anything." Her voice dropped as she spoke and Severus clenched one fist in an effort not to reach for her.

"A silent evening in the library, then. What a thrilling way to spend your last night at—"

"I don't wish to _talk _at all," she continued, speaking over him. Now she was definitely moving closer, and before he had an opportunity to react, she had slid onto his lap. It was as if she'd hit him with a _Petrificus Totalus_. He was afraid to move, afraid to _breathe_, lest she change her mind and run away. And he was afraid that he might have misinterpreted her actions, somehow.

"What are you—"

Lily placed a finger on his lips. "Ah ah, no talking!" They stared intently at each other, and Severus was sure she must hear his heart racing. Then she removed her finger from his mouth...and replaced it with her own lips.

Every cell of Severus' body leapt into action at the contact. He wrapped an arm around her waist and hauled her closer, burying the other hand into her mane of red hair, angling her head. He opened his mouth over hers and plundered her sweet lips with his tongue. Lily shoved her hands into his hair and moaned, tangling her tongue with his enthusiastically.

Their heated kisses spun out into minute after minute, until Lily began to thrust her hips against his. He stood abruptly, lifting her with him. He detached his lips from hers just long enough to sweep his book off the table and lay her down on its hard surface. Then he was on top of her, kissing her again and running his hands down her sides.

Lily immediately wrapped her legs about his waist, locking her ankles behind his thighs. Severus growled hungrily and yanked her robes open at her chest, burying his face between her breasts. Lily arched into his openmouthed kisses, holding his head to her. Surging upwards again, his lips meshed with hers once more as their hands began to frantically undress one another.

The sound of a door slamming in the hallway brought both their heads up. Lily looked at Severus and her heart stuttered a bit. He was scowling in the direction of the sound, his tie was loosely hanging around the top few undone buttons on his shirt, and his hair had been rumpled—by her hands. The fierce line of his eyebrows brought a nostalgic smile to her face.

Then he looked back at her, and she blushed at the intensity of the hunger in his gaze. She could tell by the brush of air against her legs that he'd hiked her skirt up, and she was fairly certain that at least one of her blouse buttons was gone for good. She couldn't bring herself to feel regretful, however.

Lily was just reaching up to bring Severus' lips back to her own when he stepped away, hastily combing his fingers through his hair. "You—I'd better go," he murmured, attempting to redo the tiny buttons on his collar. He quickly gave up and cursed softly. Lily sat up, watching as his eyes roved everywhere but in her direction. "It's after curfew."

Her lips twitched in a smile. "We graduate tomorrow, Sev. I don't think they're going to put us in detention for breaking curfew." She waited for his customary smirk, but none came. Her stomach began to sink when he still refused to look at her. Abruptly, she wasn't in the mood for joking around with him anymore. "There isn't even any curfew now that school's over for the summer hols," she growled. "Come back—"

"Nevertheless, I have no doubt that we both need our rest for tomorrow. I—" Finally, his eyes met hers, and she flinched at the coldness there. It was as though the passionate boy from just a few moments ago had completely gone, leaving this heartless shell in his place. He seemed to read some of her shock in her eyes, though, for his voice softened as he said, "I'll see you tomorrow, after the ceremony. Goodnight, Lily." Gathering his loosened tie and abandoned robes around him like a shield, he marched out of the library while Lily remained on the desk, dumbfounded.

He was as good a liar as ever, Lily reflected as she continued to stare at the door, half hoping for him to return. His expression, his eyes, his speech—nothing had given him away, and she was nearly as familiar with his facial expressions as her own. But still, she knew: he'd lied when he'd promised to see her after their graduation.

* * *

**A/N: This chapter is all of the "Hogwarts era" scenes, and I have one more chapter on the way with post-Hogwarts scenes. I always envisioned Lily and Severus having these clandestine "angry snogs" after The Mudblood Incident, so here you go. **

**Sadly, I am neither JK Rowling nor Maroon 5. Nor wealthy, actually. **


	2. Chapter 2

**This fic inspired by Maroon 5's One More Night, which I encourage you to look up the lyrics for-Lily/Sev really fit it so, so well! **

**Some notes: As you'll see in the first scene, every single store name I came up with sounded like a Wizarding brothel. So I gave up and just went with it, haha. Also, I upped the rating to M, so just an FYI, there is some smuttiness in here.  
**

* * *

Severus exited The Powdered Doxy, pulling his cloak tighter about his neck to block the crisp autumn wind. He had taken two steps when a bundle of woman careened into him, and his hands reached out to steady her slight form automatically.

"Severus?" Lily's voice was breathless, surprised. He cleared his throat to give himself time to look her over—she was as vibrant and pretty as he'd remembered, even though he hadn't seen her in close to a year.

"Lily," he answered, uncertain how to proceed. The logical thing to do would be to remove his hands from her person, but he found that the appendages in question were unwilling to obey. Interestingly, Lily seemed disinclined to step back out of his grasp.

"How—how are you?" she asked, her bright tone sounding a bit forced.

He raised an eyebrow at her foolishness, but he answered her anyway. "As well as can be expected. How are you?"

"I'm engaged!" she blurted out, holding up one bejeweled hand. She quickly tucked it away again, though, and she looked mortified.

"Congratulations," he said, trying—and failing—not to sound completely sarcastic.

They stood in silence, still entwined. Lily licked her lips nervously before asking, "Do you still live at Spinner's End?"

He nodded and before he knew what was happening, she'd Apparated them onto his front porch. "What are you—"

"Ssh! Just—can you let us in?"

Dismantling his wards and drawing her into his home, he re-cast the protective spells and turned to face her. "Explain yourself."

"I can't—" She looked at her feet before straightening her spine and staring directly into his eyes. "I don't want James to be the first. It's always been you, Sev. Please."

Two strides brought him chest to lovely chest with her, and Severus searched her face for any sign of jest. "You're sure?"

"I'm here, aren't I?" she answered. It was enough for him. Their lips met in a frenzy of passion, and Severus thrust his tongue into her willing mouth as he grabbed fistfuls of her silken hair. Lily moaned encouragingly and pressed herself against him, rubbing herself seductively on his hip. He backed them away from the door and began loosening her cloak. As he drew it off of her, however, the gigantic ruby on her left hand stopped him.

"Take it off," he demanded, fully expecting her to argue.

Lily swallowed once, twice, before twisting the ring off her finger and tossing it in the direction of her cloak. Then she was at him again, tugging at all the buttons and clasps on his cloak and robes. Severus returned his attention to her mouth eagerly.

She tore his shirt off with such force that she nearly strangled him. Severus yanked her skirt down and then brutually ripped her delicate panties off. In a matter of seconds they were naked and tumbling onto his sofa, not even bothering to aim for his bedroom. There was a moment of awkward shifting as they each tried to position themselves, and then—_yes_—Severus slid home, groaning in satisfaction. Lily's eyes closed and her head rolled back as he withdrew slowly, then surged forward again.

He licked a path down her neck and shoulder before burying his face against her breasts. He swirled his tongue around one nipple as he instinctively twisted his hips in unison. Lily's gasp was enough encouragement for him to repeat the motions again and again, until she was panting his name, begging him for release.

Severus sat back on his heels, bringing her hips with him, teasing her by slowing his pace. He relished the absolute power he held right now as those sultry green eyes implored him to pleasure her. Then the defiant Lily he'd known as a child sparked to life behind the desire, and with a wicked smile, she clamped her inner muscles around his erection. He nearly came and she laughed out loud. From that point forward, their coupling was a frantic bid for control as each one battled to make the other one come first.

Somehow they ended up on the floor, with Lily sitting astride him. It was over quickly after that, and when he thought back on it later, Severus couldn't remember which one of them had won the fight for dominance. Actually, he supposed both of them had won, really. Once their bodies had cooled, they dressed in silence, neither one knowing quite what to say. Finally, Lily broke the quiet.

"I'd better get back...it was good to see you, Sev," she said as she Disapparated away from him.

"You, too," he said to the empty room.

* * *

Severus tensed when he heard the near-silent _pop_ of Apparation just outside his door. Only a handful of people knew the address; there was only one that he actually wanted to see. Moving steathily towards the door in the dark, he half hoped his surprise visitor was Lily, but at the same time, he knew better than to hope anymore.

As he neared the front window, the tap-tap-tap on the door rang out. Severus sighed—only Lily would have knocked using their childhood pattern. Lowering his wand and swinging the door open, he was about to admonish her for traveling to his home in the dead of night, but his arms were suddenly filled with weeping woman.

"Lily? Are you alright?"

She could barely speak through her tears. Severus led her into the house, peering into the darkness outside to make sure she hadn't been seen, or worse, followed. Leading her through to his small kitchen, Severus scoured his pantry for some acceptable biscuits. Of course there were none. Settling instead for some tea that didn't appear to have rotted, he stood awkwardly by the stovetop while Lily cried her eyes out at his two-person table.

Relieved when the kettle required his attention, Severus nevertheless soon found himself sitting opposite his childhood friend while she continued to cry great, heaving sobs. His eyes roamed the room, desperate to look anywhere but at _her_; her display of emotion seemed horribly...indecent, somehow.

Eventually, Lily's sobs slowed, and Severus wordlessly conjured her a handkerchief. Hiccupping, Lily blew her nose and dried her face as she tried to regain her breath. Still the silence persisted, and for the first time, Severus wished for an old-fashioned Muggle clock. Anything that would make some blasted noise in the too-quiet room. He didn't know how to handle this situation—he wasn't good with emotions. No doubt she was expecting him to say _something_, though, and the longer he waited, the greater the chance that she would give up and leave.

He cleared his throat. "You Apparated very quietly," was all that came out.

Lily snorted indelicately. "Auror training," she supplied. "Moody's completely soundless; it's amazing."

They lapsed back into silence. Severus drummed his fingers on the tabletop but, annoyed by the sound, he quickly stopped. He glanced briefly at Lily's face—even with puffy eyes and reddened nose she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen—but his eyes skittered away again just as swiftly. They had lost all their easy camaraderie long ago, and Severus had no idea how to get it back—or even if they could.

They both spoke at once. "Can I get you—" "I'm sorry I—"

Severus gestured for Lily to speak first. She nervously twirled her ruby ring on her finger. Severus' eyes were drawn to the newly added wedding band nestled just below it.

"I'm sorry for coming over here unannounced," Lily finally said. "I know things are a bit tricky right now—"

At least righteous indignation was a better feeling than awkward confusion, so Severus pounced on it immediately. "Yes, what _were _you thinking? Surely even Aurors are told not to prance about all alone at night! You could have run across—"

"A Death Eater?" Lily's small smile was sad but understanding. She stood abruptly. "You're right, though. I shouldn't have come here. Thanks for the tea."

Severus stood as well, stepping away from the table the same time as she did. "You needn't leave if you don't wish to," he said hurriedly. "You are welcome to stay here...as long as you need. I'll give you your privacy."

He turned to exit the kitchen, but a hand on his sleeve brought him up short. "Don't—don't leave me, please," Lily whispered. He focused his attention on the doorframe, knowing what would happen if he turned around. This wasn't a good idea, he knew: she was married. To his former nemesis, at that. When she spun him to face her, however, he knew he was lost. He'd always do anything for her, even now.

They barely even made it to the kitchen table. Severus wouldn't miss the old teakettle that crashed to the ground, although he would have to remember to purchase a new one. Thankfully, they were able to Apparate upstairs for the second (and third) rounds of the night, and Severus swore he would bundle up the sheets in an enchanted bin so as to never lose Lily's scent on them.

When he woke in the morning, he felt unspeakably satisfied—and guilty as hell.

He also woke alone.

* * *

Severus fought the urge to pace back and forth while he waited, instead focusing all his formidable concentration on remaining perfectly still. It was extremely difficult: he had no idea why Lily wanted to meet him here, but her terse message had made him very nervous. Scanning the area that was visible without moving his head, he wondered for the hundredth time if this was some sort of trap. If so, his enemies knew his weakness all too well, because he would move heaven and earth for Lily Evans.

_Lily Potter, _his conscience whispered, but he tamped it down irritably. He highly doubted this was another physical rendezvous, or else she would have simply come to his home in Spinner's End. Mentally he reviewed her note again: _Sev, can you meet me privately? Our old spot, on our old day and time. _

Admittedly, it wasn't much information to go on. It was also clear to him that Lily was worried the note would be intercepted—they were the only two who knew the spot, the place and the time. This secluded glen had been their Hogwarts before they'd gone to Hogwarts, their place to talk about magic and Wizards and spells far away from prying eyes and ears. And Thursdays at three o'clock in the afternoon had always been their "secret" meeting time—it was just after Lily got out of school for the day, and nearly the only day when Severus' father was sober enough to stay at work all day. Of course, by Friday morning, Tobias was usually drunk again—but in any case, it had always been _their _special time together. After they'd started at Hogwarts, they still met in the same clearing during the summer, when they were both home from school. Thursdays at three in this particular spot were, in fact, the only reason he could conjure a Patronus.

Suddenly, Lily appeared before him, and his eyes were drawn to her heavily pregnant belly. He'd heard the rumors, of course; knew the implications of her pregnancy all too well. Still, it was another thing entirely to be confronted with the evidence right in front of your nose. Especially when it should have been your own child—

"You came," Lily said softly. "I wasn't sure—"

"You learned to Apparate silently," he interrupted. It would not turn the conversation in his favor if they discussed the myriad of reasons he ought not to have come here today.

Lily smiled a tiny bit and came closer, peering around him as she did so. It seemed they were matched in paranoia, if nothing else. Once again, Severus found himself wishing they could simply return to the Thursdays of their youth, with nothing more pressing to discuss than whether or not the Chudley Cannons would finally win a match. Inhaling deeply to wash away the memories—and to try to get a whiff of Lily's unique scent—Severus examined her in closer detail.

She seemed to be in good health, but upon closer inspection her eyes were ringed with purple and she ought to be heavier for how far along she was in her pregnancy. Severus narrowed his eyes: if that git Potter wasn't taking care of her, he'd—

"I can't stay long," Lily said quietly. "They'll be wondering where I went. I just needed to see you—one more time," she choked out, her eyes unaccountably welling with tears.

"I beg your pardon?" Severus asked, trying to decipher her meaning.

"Oh, Severus, I shouldn't be telling you this—James and I are going into hiding. Dumbledore—" Lily drew a shuddering breath, wiping at a tear, but forging ahead, "has heard that Voldemort is—is after us! After _me_!"

Lily's sniffles were nothing compared to the effect her words had on him. Guilt and fear came raging to the fore, but Severus battered them back as best he could. He did not have the time right now to give into his debilitating emotions.

"The Dark Lord is not after _you_, Lily," Severus began, but he couldn't bring himself to tell her exactly who the Dark Lord _was _targeting. Looking at her now, her belly full of unborn child, Severus wondered for the first time at the sanity of his Dark master. Surely a baby was not worth this level of cruelty?

Lily did not seem to have registered his words, however. Stepping closer, she brushed one lock of hair back from his face, cupping his cheek ever so briefly as she did so. "I had to see you again, before... Well, I just had to see you. Severus, you're—"

But he never discovered exactly what he was, for at that moment a bracelet on Lily's wrist glowed purple, and she jumped. "That'll be them—I have to go. I'm sorry—maybe one day, when this is all over, we can—oh, I don't know, Sev, but maybe we can be friends again? I've missed you."

She swallowed thickly, her vibrant green eyes gazing into his with something like forgiveness. Severus fought the moisture now gathering in his own eyes. "Lily, I lo—"

Her bracelet glowed blue, now, and just like that—she was gone, Portkeyed to wherever it was that Dumbledore had decided to hide them.

"I love you," he whispered into the empty clearing, finally allowing the tears to fall.

* * *

Slowly, Lily's lips met his. Severus kissed her back languidly, reveling in the way her hair fell through his fingers like spun silk. He would never get enough of her, no matter how long he lived. Kissing Lily, looking at Lily, talking to Lily—he could _never _tire of her, never tire of these precious moments.

"Sev, you're—"

A hand landed on his shoulder, and Severus spun around. Behind him, Lily continued talking, but the intruder merely crooked a finger and Severus begrudgingly followed.

Straightening from the Pensieve, Severus turned to face Dumbledore. "Yes?" he hissed, angry at being interrupted.

Instead of responding in kind, however, Dumbledore smiled sadly. "Do you think it wise, Severus, to spend so much time with the Pensieve? It will not bring her back, you know."

"Obviously," Severus snarled, pacing away from the older man. "Not that it is any of your business—"

"As the Pensieve—_my _Pensieve, coincidentally—is located in my office, I rather think it is my business," Dumbledore answered, his voice still a measured calm. "And as much as I loathe to do this, Severus, I must insist that you restrict your visits to twice a year."

"Twice a _year_?" Severus visibly recoiled. This was unpardonable, beyond the bounds of all common decency. How _dare _Dumbledore tell him he could only see Lily _twice _a _year_?

"I am sorry, Severus, but you are wasting away up here, lost in memory." Dumbledore gripped Severus' shoulder firmly. "She is gone, my dear boy, and it does not do to dwell in the past—"

"—and forget to live, yes, I know," Severus retorted sharply. This was not the first lecture he'd received on the subject.

"She wouldn't want you to throw your life away on her, I am sure of it," Dumbledore said, obviously attempting to be reassuring. His words had the opposite effect, however.

"I am quite sure that Lily—and any number of other people—would gladly accept my life in exchange for hers," Severus snarled before storming from the room.

He would just have to locate the Mirror of Erised again. It was the only way.

* * *

**A/N: This chapter is all of the "post-Hogwarts" scenes. In case it wasn't clear about why he could conjure a Patronus, I was thinking that his time spent with Lily were the only happy memories he had. And now I've gotten myself all sad! Anyway, I really super encourage you to look up the lyrics for One More Night, because I've written each of these scenes to go with a set of lines. However, when I tried to post the story with the lyrics in it, it got pulled, even though I cited everything properly-oh well. You'll just have to find it on your own, I'm afraid.  
**

**Sadly, I am neither JK Rowling nor Maroon 5. Nor wealthy, actually. **


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